


And Maybe I Bit Off More Than I Could Chew

by anythingcanhappenchild



Series: The Kids Aren't Alright [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: (Brief Mentions), (for kissing), (minor) - Freeform, (showing the effects of child abuse), 5+1 Things, Ableism, Asperger Syndrome, Autistic Bobbi Morse, Bisexual Skye | Daisy Johnson, Constructive Criticism Welcome, Don’t copy to another site, Explicit Consent, F/F, F/M, Found Family, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 01:55:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17214827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anythingcanhappenchild/pseuds/anythingcanhappenchild
Summary: “Tell me you three didn’t almost blow up a chemistry lab.”Immediately, her nǚ'ér parroted back at her, “We did not almost blow up a chemistry lab.”May raised an eyebrow at her nonchalant attitude, “Are you lying to me?”“Yes.”ORFive times Daisy almost gets herself into trouble with SHIELD and one time she definitely does.





	And Maybe I Bit Off More Than I Could Chew

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Look the first follow up!! I hope everyone likes it!
> 
> This piece is mostly humorous, but see the end notes (or tags really) for possible content/trigger warnings.
> 
> (Also, you'll probably see this pretty quickly, but in case you like to know going in - the pieces go backwards in time.)

*** (1) ***

One-minute Trip was studying out of his exceptionally boring pilot’s manual and the next his book disappeared and Daisy’s legs were strung across his lap. He looked up just to see her Cheshire Cat grin and bright eyes staring back at him. He felt his lips twitch up in response – her smiles were always so infectious – but then, registering the look in her eyes, realized, “No, wait, wait, I am three days away from taking my final pilots test, can we _please_ wait until Tuesday to execute whatever prank you’ve thought up?”

Her grin only grew, and in that moment, Trip knew, he was getting absolutely no more work done today. Sighing, “Fine, what is it?”

She laughed slightly, but shifted, and his eyes narrowed as he recognized her characteristic nervous tick – pressing her weight to one side and half biting her lip. At the same time though, after almost two years of deception training with the actual Black Widow, he fairly certain she was letting him see her discomfort. Which, was obviously significant. The question was, how?

As he opened his mouth to ask, she cut him off, “Remember what yesterday was?” 

“Of course!” He jumped to respond, “Your eighteenth birthday’s pretty hard to forget,” he grinned, “especially after that party.” He watched as she rolled her eyes, knowing she was a little bit embarrassed about having a birthday party at eighteen, but after Melinda May tells you it’s fine, you can’t really argue with her. Especially after her friends all conspired to have their own birthday parties, to make her more comfortable. And, hey, Trip was definitely not complaining, his twentieth birthday this year was the best he’d had for years, even surpassing his Mama’s tradition of overzealous present buying in the past. 

However, Daisy was still looking at him meangifully, and, thinking back, her tone had also been significant. He, however, was entirely lost – he’d gotten her a present, nothing was broken, he was _positive_ he only agreed to taking her drinking on her twenty-first birthday, so yeah, completely lost.

Thankfully, she seemed to catch on to his confusion, since her eyebrow twitched up reflexively. He was starting to feel concerned however, when her apparent nervousness grew, before she shut it down. Before he could start to panic at her emotionless expression however, she straightened her shoulders, and, with a muttered “screw it”, lunged forward to kiss him.

He immediately leaned in to the kiss, his hand moving to her neck, as she let out a content sigh against his lips. But – shit, _shit_ , he’s still her teaching assistant, and God he is breaking so many rules right now. She seemed to have noticed him stiffening, and pulled away slightly, “Hey? You good?” She whispered, and when he didn’t respond she immediately pulled backwards, something like fear in her face, and Trip was only slightly comforted by knowing she wasn’t scared of him, but for him. 

Still, “You didn’t hurt me,” he spoke, before she could whisper the question, “And, I’m not upset or anything,” she looked relieved for a half-second before flinching away slightly, shoulders curling as she prepared for herself for rejection. 

And her early look made sense now, he thought, recalling the conversation they’d had a few months ago, about how yes, Trip really did want to date her, but she was underaged and he was her teaching assistant and technically in charge of her grades, and therefore definitely not able to ethically date her right then, no matter how much he wanted to. And he, really, really wanted to.

Unfortunately, she seemed to have zeroed in on the ‘underaged’ part and forgotten about the ‘one of his students’ part, and now was interpreting his resistance as a sign he’d changed his mind, or worse, that he’d only been appeasing her to begin with, and didn’t really mean what he’d said when she confessed she liked him.

Which means that he needed to talk very quickly, or risk her disappearing for two days and then returning like everything was fine and ignoring any and all attempts to talk about the problem. Which is the exact thing she did after her and Bobbi broke up, and he would very much not like for that to happen again.

“Wait,” he practically yelped, resisting the urge to grab her arm as she started to rise, because she still really hated that, even if it doesn’t upset her as much anymore. Thankfully, she sat back down, but that was likely more because his gasp had her concerned about him again. “I – I wasn’t,” shit, he had no idea how to say this, “that wasn’t – I wasn’t rejecting you,” he finally said, watching her eyebrows shoot up her forehead, and yeah, he probably deserved that, “I mean it, I do want to date you, I really, really do. But you being underaged wasn’t the only problem,” he continued, trying to ignore the hurt on her face at his last words – but if he stopped to reassure her there was nothing wrong with her, and she never needed to change, he’d never finish explaining. Hopefully, the explanation would allay her fears, otherwise he’d be dealing with a very sad Daisy, two pissed parents, and about a dozen additional highly trained agents who have absolutely already given him the shovel talk “I’m still your TA, Daisy,” and, exceptionally relieved, he watched understanding dawn on her face, “and aside from there being so many ethical issues surrounding dating a student, it’s against SHIELD rules, and I really don’t want to end up transferred.”

She sighed, “Okay, yeah, I’m sorry,” she grinned then, before he could tell her not to apologize, “I completely forgot about that.” And he finally relaxed, “Just, Trip … promise me one thing okay?”

“Yeah, anything.” He responded immediately, and despite knowing that was a dangerous statement where Daisy was involved – he’s committed more pranks in the years knowing her than the rest of his life combined ¬– and judging by her suddenly amused expression, she was thinking the same, he didn’t regret it. 

She grew serious again quickly, “Just, if you’re just saying this to, like, let me down easy or something – don’t. I’d rather know now then in six months when you’d have to make up some other reason not to date me. Just promise you aren’t delaying this, hoping I’ll forget or something.”

And at that he couldn’t help it, he pulled her back in for a hug, hoping she was currently cool with physical contact, and based how she immediately relaxed, he’d made the right call. “C’mon girl, you know I’d never do that,” he smiled down at her, “I wish I could ask you out right now, or continue that excellent kiss,” he nudged her, and was rewarded with a smile, “It’s just, it’s important to me that we start this out right, okay?”

Her smiled broadened, “Yeah, I can wait a few more months,” something playful flashed in her eyes, “even if it makes you an even bigger nerd.”

He rolled his eyes, but smiled at her even as she laughed at him. 

*** (2) ***

Maria Hill was exceptionally irritated.

Why? Because the one day, the one single day she actually finished her work before five o’clock pm, is also the one day Daisy decides to get in an actual fight. She couldn’t have picked yesterday, when she was working her way through a mountain of paperwork, or tomorrow where she’ll be in another inane political meeting. No, it had to be today.

So, it was with great frustration that Hill swept around the corner, ready to deliver her pre-prepared lecture, which, despite being essentially identical to every other don’t-be-a-dumbass lecture she gives, always seems to bring the recruits back in line.

She slowed, however, upon entering the hall to see a furiously whispering Bobbi Morse and a defiant looking Daisy. 

She was just able to catch the tail end of their conversation –

“I _don’t_ need protection, Daisy. I’m more than capable of – “

“I don’t care Bobbi, they were being assholes, and aren’t you always going on about how even if you’re ‘capable’ doesn’t mean you should have to be?”

“Oh, don’t try and use my stuff against me. I had a plan, and it was going _fine_ until you – “

“Seriously, a plan? What exactly – “

Daisy froze then, grinning nervously at Hill before straightening her shoulders in a show of defiance. Five minutes ago, that would have made Hill even more irritated. Now, looking at a Daisy and her peeved girlfriend, she found herself curious, and perhaps a bit ready to go track down the other half of this fight, recruits Jameson and Hartley.

“Yes, what plan?” She asked, and Bobbi’s face paled slightly, her nails digging into her palms. Hill rose an eyebrow, she knew Morse’s trainers were getting on her about finding more discreet stims, but if they were advocating self-harm in any form, Hill would also be tracking them down. “Morse? Care to illuminate us?”

Finally, the girl let out a huff, “I can’t tell you. Then the plan won’t work.”

Rolling her eyes slightly, she started to ask again, before spying Daisy shaking her head, “That’s all she’ll say about it. I’ve asked three times already.”

Morse slumped back in her seat, clearly irritated with both Daisy and herself. Hill sighed softly, well, she’s mostly positive it won’t involve any murder, so … she’ll let it be. For now, at least.

“Fine. Well, if I’m not hearing about any future plans, why don’t you two tell me why you sent two recruits to the infirmary.” 

Daisy only scowled in response, “Why don’t you ask them.”

“Mayson.” Hill responded firmly. She knew Daisy understood she was Assistant Director Hill here, not Aunt Hill, but based on the girl’s petulant expression, she’s choosing to ignore it. 

“She was defending me,” Morse finally whispered, “even though I didn’t need her too,” she finished with a growl, and Daisy rolled her eyes in response.

“I don’t care if your plan involves permanently destroying their entire lives,” Daisy snapped back, Morse shifting uncomfortably in her chair – oh god, please don’t let her be planning that, Hill’s going to have to officially reprimand her if she does something like that, and that’s so. much. paperwork, “they were being ableist assholes, and it’s not like I was the only one fighting.”

“I only helped because you can’t cover your left to save your life,” Bobbi growled back, but Hill had already zeroed in on Daisy’s response – ‘ableist assholes’, ‘ _ableist_ ’. And with a surprising amount of fury – she really needed to stop caring this much about everyone Daisy became friends with – she understood what was happening.

Several teachers and trainers were logging complaints about intense harassment and bullying. The same preparators showed up again and again, always aimed at recruits like Baker, Fitz, Simmons, and most recently, Morse. 

Hill closed her eyes. SHIELD had a long history of recruiting neurodivergent people, and while not always good, their reasons for doing so in the past weren’t admirable, their policies surrounding such recruitment and regulations surrounding such agents have changed. Unfortunately, it seems a few students were still stuck in the past.

Not for long, she thought. If they won’t learn on their own, she’ll ensure they learn another way.

Finally zoning back in, she raised an eyebrow at the two’s discussion, which seems to have devolved into whether short-term individual deterrence or long-term group deterrence was more effective. “Go,” she finally stated. She would have liked to laugh at the twin pair of shocked looks, but, finally spying an old bruise wrapped around Bobbi’s wrist, she found her sense of humor had deserted her.

Grinding her teeth as the two quickly took off down the hall, she turned in the direction of the school’s administration office. It was time to educate some ableist assholes.

*** (3) ***

May swept down the halls of the SHIELD sci-tech building, finally seeing Daisy sitting with her two friends. Unfortunately, she also saw a Maria Hill, who was currently vehemently glaring at her.

Well, she already knew the problem at least, turning to face Daisy, “Tell me you three didn’t almost blow up a chemistry lab.”

Immediately, her nǚ'ér parroted back at her, “We did not almost blow up a chemistry lab.”

May raised an eyebrow at her nonchalant attitude, “Are you lying to me?”

“Yes.” Daisy’s response was immediate, and May heard Hill huff in the background. She pressed her lips together slightly, and Daisy knew her well enough by now to know she was holding back a smile. She also apparently knew her well enough by now to know she wouldn’t be mad at her over this, although Coulson and Weaver’s stories about her time at the academy were probably to blame for that.

Fitzsimmons on the other hand looked practically scandalized by Daisy’s sass. And, much to May’s amusement, started to talk over each other,

“We didn’t _really_ blow up the lab – “

“Yes, yes, that’s true. We were experimenting – “

“He means inventing, we wouldn’t take have Daisy in the room if we were experimenting. Because of course that’s against regulations – “

“Yes, inventing, ahh, inventing a … a – “

“New chemical!”

“New chemical? Yes! A new … chemical – “

“And, it seems we mis-measured an, ah, ingredient, yes, we mis-measured, and that caused an explosion – “

“A minor explosion – “

“Yes! Minor, of course, more of a small fire – “

“Yes, a small fire – “

“And we followed regulations of course … to … put out the fire – “

“Minor!”

“Yes, the _minor_ fire.”

May was having an even more difficult time holding back laughter now, and judging by Hill’s stiff grip on her paperwork, so was she. 

Daisy, on the other hand, had no such reservations, and was now giggling freely. Much to her friend’s consternation. 

May met Hill’s eyes over the trio, and seeing her nod in response, let out a sigh in relief. Coming up with a lecture for this, or some sort of punishment, would have taken time, reducing her time to finish paperwork, and May was less and less inclined to take her work home these days.

So, much relieved, she raised an eyebrow at the three – thankful Daisy had managed to calm her laughter, at least somewhat – and put the two scientists out of their misery, “Well, if everyone here followed protocol, and no one is hurt,” she paused, and waited a few seconds for Fitzsimmons to start nodding vigorously, “then we’re done here,” she finished, expecting the two to jump out of their seats immediately.

It took them a few seconds, however, to realize she was finished, so there was an awkward moment before their eyes widened with understanding and they leapt up before she changed her mind, grabbing Daisy’s arm to drag her along with them. Probably trying to keep her from getting them in trouble with any sass.

But May couldn’t help it, she called down the hallway at the three retreating figures, “But be more careful. It seems inventing … chemicals … gets a bit dangerous,” and smiled to herself at the two simultaneous gasps and Daisy’s peal of laughter.

*** (4) ***

Bobbi grinned brightly at Daisy, who was currently losing all of her ‘bad girl cred’ by stressing rather spectacularly about cutting class.

She’d been fine for most of the day. At least after the first bit of panic, when Bobbi dragged her out to the parking lot just as the first bell rang. She was fine through their trip to the mall, and the park, and the spontaneous dip they’d taken in the public pool.

And she was quite a bit more than fine when Bobbi had kissed her in the middle of their game of Marco Polo.

Bobbi herself had been a bit frightened she’d been misreading the signals – she always saw better from a distance. But when Daisy called Marco, and Bobbi whispered Polo back softly, amused as Daisy spun quickly spun around in the water, opening her eyes just as Bobbi leaned in to kiss her, she kissed back just as enthusiastically as Bobbi hoped.

Now however, Daisy was retroactively freaking out a little bit about cutting class. Bobbi, although sympathetic, wasn’t too worried. She wouldn’t have talked Daisy into leaving if she thought her parents-not-parents-depending-on-how-confident-Daisy-was-feeling-that-day would actually be angry about this.

Sure, they’ll huff and puff a bit, that’s practically required, but they won’t be angry like Daisy’s worried about.

Besides only the end-of-day we-promise-we’re-all-alive roll-call was the one that mattered, everyone knew that, Bobbi thought, as she pulled Daisy into the chemistry lab just as the teachers back was turned to deal with another “experiment” by Fitzsimmons.

*** (5) ***

Trip was really excited about his first day as a teaching assistant. Especially because Mr. Jacobs liked letting his TAs lead classes sometimes, instead of just grading. 

His joy however, was considerably lessened as he heard Mr. Walker yelling at a student. On the first day.

Trip supposed the student may have done something to earn one of Walker’s infamous ‘talks’, but, more likely than not, the newest student was just a target for Walker’s rage. He never really forgave Fury and Hill for assigning him to a teaching position, not after he was so well regarded as a computer specialist. 

Well, if he didn’t want to be reassigned, he could have tried listening to the newcomers coding tips, instead of leaving all their files vulnerable to attack with his outdated code five years ago. Although, scuttlebutt’s indicating the replacement head specialist was also getting the boot, something about another hacker getting past the fire walls.

Well, Trip decided, maybe it was time to make a new friend, and walked up to Walker.

Or, maybe it was time to commit his first murder (first? Antoine, this is why your Mama didn’t want you joining SHIELD, he could practically hear) he thought, as he watched Walker continue to rage at some girl – a new student, he hadn’t seen her before, and their class size was small, at least compared to his year one ops class this year – who was backed against the wall and staring into space.

But not ignoring him, no, she was listening, judging by how hard she clenched her jaw when Walker barked, “and we’ll just see what The Cavalry thinks about this, honestly.”

“Don’t call her that,” the girl snapped, even as she pressed herself further against the wall.

Trip decided to interrupt just as the girl’s ‘belligerence’ seemed to spark Walker’s second wind. “Mr. Walker, what’s the problem here?”

“Ah, Antoine,” he smiled at him, and Trip had to grit his teeth to avoid snapping at the bullheaded man, “could you fetch Melinda May for me, or perhaps you’d like me to speak directly to Agent Hill,” he sneered at the girl, and really, was he really refusing to call Assistant Director Hill by her proper title, was he still bitter about being passed up for that job.

“I can,” he smiled, although it probably looked more like a grimace based on the girl’s raised eyebrows, “but what should I tell them? What exactly is the problem?”

Walker blustered, “I don’t think you need to know that. But … since it is you, this girl decided to break into the school mainframe.”

Trip blinked. Of all the scenarios he’d thought of, the unassuming girl in front of him accessing level eight documents – classified so highly to protect underaged assets – was not one of them. 

Oh well, he can roll with punches, “Oh, sir, I think there’s been a mistake,” he definitely didn’t simper, Antoine Triplett did not simper, “you must be the asset we asked to test the school’s mainframe.” He spoke to the girl, who blinked but didn’t contradict him. Good, she’s already easier to get out of trouble than Sharon. “I’ll take her to make her progress report, sir, thank you for alerting us to the completion of her task.”

Walker spluttered, but didn’t object as Trip pulled the girl out of his sight. After all, Antoine’s a teacher’s pet, he doesn’t lie.

His face fell slightly as her realized he’d need to do quite a bit of sweet-talking and paperwork to maintain that reputation. 

But as the girl suddenly smiled up at him, “Hey, I’m Daisy,” Trip’s first thought was, ‘yep, definitely worth it’.

*** (+1) ***

When Fury’s doorbell rang at eight o’clock on a Sunday night, his first thought was to immediately start running through the list of recent death threats. His second was that some kids were playing another prank.

And so, grumbling under his breath, he expected an empty hallway and the faint sound of laughter as he peered through the eye hole on his door, and instead found a young woman lounging on his doorstep.

She looked squirrelly, and despite her generally non-threatening appearance, Fury immediately returned to his known list of death threats, he did know Romanoff after all, and reached for his gun just as the girl raised her fist to knock on the door again.

Finally, clicking off the safety, he pulled open his door, “Who the hell are you?”

And the girl smiled. Fury thought first that she had a pretty smile, and second that she seemed to have far too many teeth. He was reminded again, almost eerily, of Romanoff and clutched his gun tighter.

“Hey, Director Fury,” the girl started, and before she finished he’d raised his gun to point at her heart through the doorway. She may look like a teenager, but if he’d learned only one thing when climbing the ranks at SHIELD, it’s that looks are deceiving, “please don’t shoot me, you’re gonna wanna hear what I have to say,” she continued, with a flicker of fear crossing her face, before disguising it again under that smile, “after all, you people seem a bit too incompetent to deal with anything yourself,” and snark apparently, “even when I serve it to you on a silver platter,” she tusked. And, hell, oh _hell_ –

It couldn’t be, his servers did not get hacked by this child, not one who’s standing on his doorway unarmed and snarking at him when she _knows_ he’s got a gun pointed at her chest. She’s clearly got no training, no resources, no anything.

In fact, it’s far more likely she’s one of the big names on that hacker’s list. Got wind of the fire Fury’s planning to light, and decided to come put it out before he could. “I’m only gonna ask you this one more time,” he snarled, and watched the girl cringe away before defiantly straightening back up, “who the _hell_ are you?”

“You know who I am Director, I dropped a gold mine of info about corruption on your head and you asked for _time_. Well, I don’t have time, and so, neither do you. I don’t like cover ups,” she snarled back at him, something hidden flashing in her eyes at her words, like SHIELD wasn’t in the business of hiding everyone and their mother, or maybe _because_ SHIELD was in that business, “So I’m here to hear what else you need, since apparently none of your agents can get it for you.”

Fury kept his face passive, he’d almost be impressed if this kid hadn’t shown up on his doorstep thinking she was bullet proof. Or maybe she really thought Fury wouldn’t shoot her, “Nice speech. But it seems to me that I could buy myself some time pretty easily right now,” he responded, finally showing her the gun she already knew was there.

“Yeah, see, I’ve already got my systems set up to send out that info you so _desperately_ want hidden. If I don’t enter a new code only I know every thirty minutes, every news outlet in the world will be flooded with this exceptionally inconvenient scandal of yours by morning,” she simpered, waving a cell phone in his face. “You could try and break it of course, or have your cyber-tech teams try, but honestly by the state of your firewalls, I wouldn’t advise it.” 

Fury started for half-a-second at the girl. It was a good speech, a little rough in the delivery, and it could’ve been far more threatening, but a good speech.

And she clearly had no training, and yet, she has her bases covered, unless of course, he had been arrogant enough to assume his teams could beat her on her own turf, after she had already beat them on theirs. He wondered if she’d analyzed him and correctly concluded he wasn’t quite that haughty, or if she just got lucky. Either way meant she had skill. Suddenly, he was reminded of the skittish circus performer Coulson insisted on giving a chance; how he could spot a sham as easily as his targets, but couldn’t lie to save his life, at least, not until they taught him to.

Now Barton was one of his best agents, and could spin half-truths almost as well as Coulson himself.

There was no way this was going to end well, he thought, finally pulling the door open enough to let the girl through. She smiled again, as she walked through, but this one reminded him far less of Romanoff’s predatory threats and far more of Barton’s shaky relief the first time he lied his way through a lie detector test.

Of course, his curiosity only spiked when she finished her reasoning, “Also, you’re not one to shoot first.”

“What gives you that idea?”

“Your mission in Shanghi,” she grinned back. And Shanghai, a level ten classified mission, one of the first times he brought a powered person into the fold. He wonders if she read the follow up to that file, where the woman’s mind finally broke and she set fire to an innocent village. 

Then he wondered if she meant to remind him he was not just working with a kid with good instincts, but a hacker who ripped his protective measures to shreds. Or if she wanted him to remember what happened when you push a dangerous person too far. Or if it was an accident, picking that mission, and she’s only succeeded in putting him on his guard. Or maybe nothing, maybe she was extending an olive branch, an attempt to align herself with him, temporarily, so that they both got what they wanted, and nobody got shot. 

He watched as she tried to survey the room, and missed half the important parts. Definity not trained. Even when Romanoff makes out like a helpless damsel, luring people into her traps, Fury can see her mental catalogue of the room. This girl had no such skill, either in deception or in tactics.

But still, as the teen instinctively chose the most strategic position in the room, especially for escape but also for fighting, his half-formed thought solidified.

This girl could be an asset. 

Time to make her one.

**Author's Note:**

> nǚ'ér = mandarin for daughter (I did my best with the mandarin, but if anyone has any tips on how to make it better, that would make me very happy!)
> 
> WARNINGS: Brief mention of ableism/bullying of neurodivergent people. Mention of past institutionalized discrimination against neurodivergent people. Implied past child abuse, and the (relatively minor) affects of the abuse.
> 
> I have one more follow up I _really_ want to write, and then a couple more I may write (I'm not sure yet). So, I hope you're all enjoying the ride!
> 
> Any and all feedback is highly appreciated!


End file.
